Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I understand that at 5-1/2 months, Little Buttercup is in the terrible teens -- she divides her time about equally between sleeping and getting into trouble. Here's a list of the kinds of things she's up to these days:

1. Run crazily around the house between 6 and 7 AM, bounding off the couch arms, leaping over the ottoman, landing on the kitchen table. If anyone tries to get you to slow down, bite and scratch them (not hard).

2. Play a drum solo on the knobs at the end of the blind cords, waking anyone who's not already up.

3. Look very cute watching tv (she loves the US Open):

"I love Rafa!"

but not very cute when you try to climb on top of the tv:

"No, really, I won't scratch the screen . . ."

4. Torment the ever-patient October until he hisses seriously enough to make you back off.

5. Climb up the window screens to get closer to those birds you'd love to eat.

6. Leap between the slats on the blinds. This is a new trick that is apparently a lot of fun.

7. Interfere with anyone who's trying to do anything in the house.

"Come on, you look like you need some help --"

8. Climb up the bedroom bookcase, knocking down various boxes of art supplies, sketchbooks, etc. etc.

9. Jump repeatedly up the wall to try to catch the spiderweb you see hanging from the ceiling. (Yes, I'm a terrible housekeeper . . . )

"I'll get it if I can just jump a little higher . . . "

10. From your vantage point on the bedroom windowsill, have a great time batting and clawing the necklaces I have hanging from a fixture on the wall, some of which are fairly expensive . . .

There's more (like playing with the cord when the very hot iron is plugged in, jumping up on the kitchen counter while bacon is frying on the stove . . . ), but I think I'll stop here. I understand that this phase lasts only three or four months. Lord give me strength.

Who's Talking to You?

Elise Ann Wormuth

I am a retired college English professor who has reinvented herself as a fine art photographer, watercolor painter, and genealogist (among other things). I've spent my working life teaching other people to write, and now I will take some time to get back to writing myself.